United Nations Middle East Envoy, Robert Sery, informed the Security Council that Israel’s partial slowdown of settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories is only a slow down not a settlement freeze.
He said that Israel is not fulfilling its obligations to the Road Map and added that East Jerusalem should be part of the freeze, including freezing the so-called natural growth of settlements, dismantling the illegal outposts erected by the settlers since March 2001.
Sery stated that Israel is currently constructing more than 3000 units in addition to approving the construction of more than 28 public facilities in the settlements.
He said that the partial settlement freeze announced by Israel does not include occupied East Jerusalem, and that the Israeli cabinet granted on December 13 additional budget allocations to more than 110.000 settlers living in isolated settlements in the West Bank.
These settlements are illegal and should be removed instead of being granted further budgets.
He added that Israel’s political statements contradict with its actions on the ground.
The UN official also urged the Palestinian Authority to respect its obligations to the Road Map by improving the security situation in areas in controls.
